Azalea plant named ‘Oryu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Azalea  plant named ‘Oryu’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; single light green to white-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Rhododendron pulchrum×Rhododendron simsii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ORYO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Azalea, botanically known as Rhododendron pulchrum×Rhododendron simsii, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Oryu’.

The new Azalea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Tochigi, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Azalea varieties having unique and attractive flower color.

The new Azalea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 1985, in Tochigi, Japan, of an unnamed proprietary selection of Rhododendron pulchrum, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Rhododendron simsii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Azalea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Azalea by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan has shown that the unique features of this new Azalea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Azalea has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Oryu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Oryu’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Single light green to white-colored flowers.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea have larger leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea have smaller flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Azalea and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have pale greenish yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea have larger leaves than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea have smaller flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Azalea and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have pale         pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Azalea can be compared to the plants of the cultivar Miyonosakae, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Tochigi, Japan, plants of the new Azalea differed from plants of the cultivar Miyonosakae in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea were more upright and taller than         and not as broad as plants of the cultivar Miyonosakae.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea had smaller leaves and flowers than         plants of the cultivar Miyonosakae.     -   3. Plants of the new Azalea and the cultivar Miyonosakae         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Miyonosakae         had pink-colored flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Azalea had longer postproduction longevity         than plants of the cultivar Miyonosakae.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Azalea. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Azalea.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of the typical flowering plant of ‘Oryo’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Oryu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Tochigi, Japan in 12-cm containers, in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the winter and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 25° C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about three years old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron pulchrum×Rhododendron simsii     ‘Oryu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Rhododendron pulchrum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Rhododendron simsii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 40 days at temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 100 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen; upright             plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit. Densely             foliated; full and bushy plants. Freely flowering habit with             numerous single flowers per plant.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 23 lateral             branches develop per plant.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 50 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 36.5 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture,             developing: Pubescent, fine reddish brown hairs. Texture,             mature: Woody. Color, developing: N144A. Color, mature:             165B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement. Alternate, single. Length:             About 5.4 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute to obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 144A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: 138A. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: Close to N144A; venation, 145B.             Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138B; venation, 145B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: 145B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Azalea typically             flower in the spring after sufficient cool period. Flowers             not persistent.         -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Flowers arranged singly             at terminals with usually about two or three flowers per             apex; freely flowering habit. Flowers face upward or             outward. Flowers rotate and rose-like; single flower form.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Excellent postproduction             longevity; plants maintain good flower substance for about             four weeks.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Flower bud (before showing color).—Length: About 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 9 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 145D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single flower form; single whorl of             five imbricate petals; petals fused at the base. Length:             About 2.5 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate             to ovate with rounded to emarginate apex. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: 150D; towards the base, 2D; spots, N144C. Color             becoming closer to 155A with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: 150D; towards the base, 2D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five fused in a single whorl. Length:             About 8 mm to 10 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,             upper surface: 143B. Color, lower surface: 143B to 143C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: Upright or outward. Strength: Flexible; strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: N144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             five to ten. Stamen length: About 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm. Anther             shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1 mm by 3.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per flower: Typically one.             Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Style color: 181C; towards the             base, 144D. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma             diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color: 144B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Azalea have been     observed to be tolerant to rain and wind and to tolerate     temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Azaleas. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named ‘Oryu’ as illustrated and described. 